


Begin Anew

by NeonKnight



Category: Naruto
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Amnesia, Angst with a Happy Ending, BAMF Dai-nana-han | Team 7 (Naruto), BAMF Haruno Sakura, BAMF Uzumaki Naruto, Eventual Romance, Eventual Smut, Help, How Do I Tag, M/M, Naruto is Just Naruto, Pre-War, Rating May Change, Slow Burn, Timeline What Timeline, Uchiha Sasuke Returns to Konoha, poor sasuke
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-06
Updated: 2019-06-08
Packaged: 2020-04-11 18:50:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 5
Words: 7,591
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19115611
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NeonKnight/pseuds/NeonKnight
Summary: RE UPLOADDue to unforseen events, Uchiha Sasuke returns to Konoha. With no memory of his identity, or his family's tragic demise, he has a second chance at life without the dark taint of vengeance shadowing him.Abandoned and unfinished





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> So I took this down because of low self esteem, but I am really proud of this so it's going back up.

Naruto was convinced that the gods were out to get him today.

 

After another successful mission, he and his team were making their way back to the village. Their pace was more leisurely now than it was when they left, as they weren't due back for a couple of days. 

 

Kakashi lead the group with Sakura alongside him chatting quietly about nothing in particular. They had needed a long range sensor for the mission, and Naruto was a bit surprised when Hyuuga Hinata was called in to round out the squad.

 

She opted to keep pace with Naruto, nervously wringing her hands and sneaking glances at him when she thought he wasn’t looking. Her face was as red as a tomato, which was normal whenever the two were within a few yards of each other. The determined glint in her eyes indicated that she had something she wanted to say to him.

 

The walk back was going to be awkward.

 

Of course Sakura would be passive about making Naruto walk with Hinata so they could “talk it out.” She kept not-so-subtly looking over her shoulder to see if Hinata would work up the courage to talk to Naruto. Sakura thought it necessary to meddle in his love life. If she could get over Sasuke, Naruto could get over her.

 

The joke was on Sakura. He got over his crush on her years ago. If she knew who held his heart now, well, he wasn't exactly sure what she would do. Would Sakura be happy for him? Feel angry or betrayed? Pity him? Naruto wasn't quite ready to have that conversation with her.

 

Speaking of conversations he wasn't ready to have…

 

“Na-naruto-kun…” Hinata squeaked. She twiddled her index fingers, struggling to keep eye contact.

 

“Hmm? What is it?” 

 

“Umm… I… w-wanted t-t-to… umm…” Her face turned a deeper shade of crimson as she forced the words out.

 

Naruto sighed. It seemed as though Hinata hadn't overcome her fear of speaking to him. He crossed his arms behind his head and turned his gaze to the near cloudless sky to give her a moment to collect her thoughts. After a few moments of awkward silence, he couldn't take it anymore.

 

“Wanted to?” He prodded.

 

“Well… I was talking to S-sakura-san… a-and she gave me some advice…” 

 

He knew it. Sakura was meddling again.

 

“Oh yeah? That's great! Sakura-chan gives great advice, y’know.” He pointedly glared at his teammate’s back, snickering when he saw her shoulders tense at the sound of her name.

 

“Y-yes.” Hinata agreed. “B-but what I was… trying to say is… well… I was wondering if… when we g-got back to the village… if y-you… umm… would like to… g-go out?”

 

“Go out? You mean like a date?”  The simple question caused Naruto to do a double take.

“Umm… well… o-only if you want it to be…” Her fidgeting worsened. 

 

“I’d love to go out as friends, if you're okay with that.”

 

“Oh… okay…” Hinata’s shoulders slumped.

 

Naruto felt bad for rejecting her, but it was better letting her know right away that he wasn't interested instead of leading her on. He had hoped that the fact that he didn't acknowledge her confession to begin with would have given Hinata the hint, but he had to take the more direct approach this time around.

 

Another part of him was proud of Hinata for actually asking him out. With her incredibly shy personality, and her habit of fainting whenever Naruto spoke to her, that had to have been extremely difficult for her to do even with Sakura’s encouragement.

 

“Hinata,” Kakashi called. “Do you sense any threats?”

 

Hinata’s head snapped up from its dejected slump. She activated her Byakugan, pale eyes sharpening with intense focus. 

 

“N-not at the moment…” 

 

“Keep your Byakugan activated just in case. We don't want to walk into an ambush.”

 

“Y-yes, sir!”                    

 

Hinata busied herself for the next half hour scanning the area for threats that weren't there. Naruto and Sakura were similarly on their guard, watching and listening for anything out of the ordinary. Naruto was selfishly glad for the reprieve from the awkwardness. He halfway hoped there  _ was _ an enemy near, just for something to do.

 

More agonisingly slow minutes passed before the silence was broken.

 

“Kakashi-sensei!” Hinata called, urgency bleeding into her voice. “I see someone ahead! They’re collapsed… Their chakra is weak. Should we see if they're an ally?”

 

“If they are an ally, we should help them.” Kakashi replied. “Sakura, be ready.”

 

“Yes, Sensei!”

 

The team rushed through the forest in the direction Hinata told them, hoping they wouldn't be too late. If this person’s chakra was weak, their life could be in danger.

 

Naruto was the first to break through the underbrush, locating the person Hinata had identified. When he got close enough to see the collapsed shinobi's face, his knees buckled.

 

_ Sasuke… _

 

He was dreaming. He had to be. There was no way that this could be real. 

 

Naruto immediately sank to his knees next to his unconscious best friend. He tentatively placed his hand on Sasuke's cheek, just to assure himself that this was actually happening. Sasuke was  _ right here.  _ He was real and solid. 

 

His skin was so warm. Thank the gods. He was still alive.

 

_ What the hell happened? _

 

“SASUKE-KUN?!” Sakura rushed to where Naruto was crouched, roughly shoving her stunned teammate out of the way so she could assess the damage.

 

“Owwww, Sakura-chan. You almost gave me a concussion, y’know?”

 

“Shut up and get out of the way. I need room.” Sakura growled as she removed her gloves, green chakra glowing in her palms.

 

“Wait, Sakura! Who knows what will happen when he wakes up? Remember, he tried to kill us the last time we saw him.” Kakashi warned. “We need to restrain him while we have the chance.”

 

Sakura let her argument die on her tongue. 

 

“Right… May I check him over at least before we do?”

 

Kakashi made a noise of agreement but said nothing further.

 

Sakura ran her hands over Sasuke’s head, torso, arms, and legs, checking with her chakra for life threatening internal injuries. He was covered in recent battle wounds, but there was nothing too serious. The worst of his injuries was a broken ankle. He must have fallen out of the trees when he went unconscious.

 

“Hinata-san, do you see anything in his chakra network?” Sakura asked when the shy kunoichi approached with chakra sealing handcuffs.

 

“... His chakra is weak… b-but other than that, everything looks normal.”

 

“Okay. Naruto-kun, come here. I need you to hold onto him in case he wakes up when I’m setting his ankle. You're the only one who can handle him if he fights us.”  Sakura moved from her position at Sasuke’s side to sit in front of his feet.

 

Naruto nodded and shuffled back over to Sasuke. He didn't want to get in the way again and incur Sakura’s wrath. The pink haired medic was terrifying when she was angry. 

 

“Be careful not to move him too much. We don't want to make any of these injuries worse.”

 

As gently as he could, Naruto pulled Sasuke up into a sitting position, pulling the missing nin’s arms behind his back. The blond silently accepted the cuffs from Hinata, then clicked them in place. After that was done, Naruto wrapped his arms tightly around his unconscious friend so escape would be extremely difficult should he wake up. Kakashi stood a few feet behind Sakura for back up, and Hinata was also on standby at Naruto’s left.

 

Friend or not, Uchiha Sasuke was incredibly dangerous. They needed to be prepared for the worst no matter how Naruto felt about it.

 

Satisfied with Naruto’s hold on Sasuke, Sakura went to work. Sasuke’s left ankle was twisted into an unnatural angle, and it hurt just looking at it. She took a deep breath and quickly set the bone back into place. The sickening snap made twice as loud by the silence of her companions. Naruto instinctually held Sasuke tighter to his chest at the sound, wincing audibly. The missing nin in his arms didn't so much as twitch.

 

Sakura watched Sasuke’s face for any signs of returning consciousness for a few tense seconds. When he didn't stir, she used her medical ninjutsu to knit the broken bone back together. Sasuke’s leg would be sore for a few days, but now he could walk on it if he woke any time soon.

 

Fortunately for them though, at least for the time being, that didn't appear to be the case.

 

“I don't think he's going to wake up, Sensei.” Sakura said with relief.

 

Kakashi approached cautiously, still tense and ready to attack if Sasuke moved a muscle. “Maa, let's move out. One of us is going to have to carry him.”

 

“I’ll do it!” Naruto volunteered immediately. “Sakura-chan is right, y’know. If Sasuke tries to fight, I’m the only one who can take him.”

 

Kakashi sighed. “Okay, Naruto. You can carry him. Give me your pack. I’ll carry it for you.”

Naruto cheered. “Thanks, Kakashi-sensei!” He released his death grip on Sasuke to hand his pack over to Kakashi.

 

He tried to figure out how to best carry Sasuke since his hands were bound behind his back. Shrugging, Naruto carefully hoisted Sasuke up bridal style, trying his hardest to fight the blush creeping up into his cheeks. 

 

Just how many times had he imagined holding Sasuke like this? More times than he’d like to admit.

 

He shook his head and followed after his retreating teammates.

 

“Hey, wait for us!” He cried indignantly. He ran after them as fast as he dared, being mindful not to jostle Sasuke too much.

 

_ I can't believe it. Sasuke is finally coming home. _

  
  
  



	2. Chapter 2

Naruto's elation grew with every step that brought him closer to Konoha. He had done it. Finally, after all the disappointment, pain, and heartbreak, he had fulfilled the promise that he’d made 3 years ago. He smiled down at the unconscious figure in his arms, still trying to figure out if he was dreaming.

 

_ We're almost home, Sasuke.  _

 

It had been hours since Naruto and his team found Sasuke in the middle of the forest, and the missing nin still showed no signs of waking. That was troubling. Whoever attacked Sasuke really did a number on him. Naruto was reeling at the fact that someone was able to actually beat him. Sasuke was incredibly powerful. It was terrifying to think there was someone out there who was able to take him down. The blond was grateful that the mystery shinobi didn't kill Sasuke. His heart wouldn't have been able to handle finding his best friend dead.

 

Sakura walked beside Naruto, who had insisted that the second he showed any signs of strain from carrying Sasuke, she would take over. She kept her eyes trained on their former teammate for any signs of awareness returning. Kakashi walked ahead of them as the first line of defense, and Hinata stayed a few feet behind as the rear guard. They were all on high alert in case the person or people who attacked Sasuke would return to finish him off.

 

Naruto wouldn't let that happen. They would have to go through him first. He would take on all of the Shinobi Nations to keep Sasuke safe and bring him home where he belonged.

 

The sun was beginning to set when Kakashi suggested setting up camp for the night. Naruto's face twisted in frustration. They were so close to home now. Stopping for the night would only prolong medical attention that Sasuke desperately needed. Sakura was a great medic, but even she wasn't sure why Sasuke wouldn't wake up.

 

He needed to be seen by Tsunade. Any time wasted out here was possibly making his condition worse.

 

“We can't stop now, Kakashi-sensei! We're so close, y’know!” Naruto's impatience was clear in his voice.

 

“Everyone is exhausted, Naruto. Hinata's Byakugan has been activated all day. She needs to rest. We all need to rest. We still have a lot of road ahead of us before we get back to the village.” Kakashi crossed his arms, leaving no room for argument.

 

Naruto turned his gaze to Hinata, who looked very tired. Her body was slumped as if the weight of her travel pack would knock her over if a gust of wind came by. Sakura looked equally harrowed. Kakashi had a point. Not everyone had Naruto's stamina.

 

“But Sensei, what if whoever beat Sasuke decides to come back to finish the job? We’ll be sitting ducks!” He argued. His fingers dug into Sasuke’s shoulder, anger rising.

 

“If they wanted to kill him, they would have done it outright.” Kakashi replied.

 

“I know you want him home, Naruto-kun. So do we, but we have to put everyone's safety ahead of that. Sasuke will still be here in the morning.” Sakura added, trying to placate him.

 

“Hinata, do you think you could continue, or do you need to stop?” Kakashi asked pointedly. Hinata went rigid, terror at being put on the spot evident on her face.

 

“... I’m sorry, b-but I don't think I can go all night…” Hinata said meekly. She gazed at Naruto apologetically, like it was somehow her fault that they had to make camp.

 

Naruto sighed heavily. “It's okay, Hinata. You worked hard today. We wouldn't have found Sasuke without you. Thank you.”

 

Hinata's cheeks turned pink. “Y-you’re welcome, Naruto-kun.” 

 

“Let's set up camp here. Naruto, you gather firewood. Sakura, take Hinata with you and fill the canteens. I’ll keep an eye on Sasuke.”

 

Naruto grudgingly set Sasuke down against a nearby tree, hesitant to let him out of his sight. The blond had just gotten him back. He didn't want to leave him for even a moment, afraid that the missing nin would somehow vanish when he got back to camp.

 

_ Stop being mushy, idiot. Kakashi is more than capable of keeping Sasuke safe. _

 

“Naruto-kun, come on. Sasuke will still be there when you get back.” Sakura said, winking at him teasingly.

 

“Okay, okay. I'm going.” He mumbled as she and Hinata retreated.

 

Still, Naruto hesitated before making a slow retreat from Sasuke's unconscious form into the forest. 

 

_ Okay. Firewood. Easy.  _

 

“Shadow Clone Jutsu!” 

 

Three clones popped into existence. Now getting firewood would be three times as fast. He gave the clones their orders, ignoring their grumbling about stupid chores and lazy slave drivers as they split off into different directions.

 

The clones finished their task within minutes, and continued their complaining all throughout the short walk back to camp. They dutifully set their bundles of wood in semi neat piles before Naruto dissipated them. 

 

Naruto immediately rushed to Sasuke’s side after helping Kakashi start the fire. His teacher had moved him to the center of the camp, laying him close to the fire pit he had built while Naruto was away. Sasuke’s expression was free from the usual anger Naruto had associated with him. The steady rise and fall of the Uchiha’s chest quelled the anxiety that Naruto had felt while they were separated.

 

A tap on his shoulder broke Naruto from his trance, red flooding his cheeks at the knowing look Sakura was giving him.

 

She held out his canteen. “Here you go, Naruto-kun.” Her voice was full of amusement.

 

He accepted the offered canteen with a half-hearted glare. “Thanks.”

 

Dinner came about an hour later. Naruto stayed glued to Sasuke’s side as he inhaled the cup ramen he brought with him. A few good natured taunts were thrown at him by both Sakura and Kakashi about his diet and not eating enough vegetables. He whined back about how unfair they were and that his eating habits were just fine. Hinata politely agreed with her teammates which prompted Naruto to call her a traitor and further souring his bad mood.

 

The team relaxed by the fire after they all had finished their food, taking the opportunity to rest their exhausted bodies after the events of the afternoon.

 

“I’ll take first watch.” Kakashi volunteered. “Naruto will take second, Sakura third, and Hinata will take the last watch.”

 

Everyone voiced their agreement then set up their bed rolls. 

 

“Night guys.” Naruto mumbled sleepily. The exhaustion he had been trying to fight off for the past few hours finally settling in.

 

“Night.” Sakura replied. Hinata didn't answer. She was out the moment she laid down.

 

Naruto was alert the moment that Kakashi laid his hand on his shoulder to wake him for his shift. He absentmindedly poked at the fire with a wayward stick, sneaking glances at Sasuke every moment he got.

 

He could have sworn he saw Sasuke move towards the end of his shift, but it must have been a trick of his sleep deprived brain. Sasuke was as still as he was when Naruto found him. Right before he went to wake Sakura up for her watch, Naruto smoothed Sasuke’s fringe out of his face, allowing his hand to linger on the Uchiha's cheek.

 

“I'm so glad to have you back, teme.” He whispered. “I missed you so much.”

 

With one final look at his best friend, Naruto trudged over to Sakura’s bedroll. Gently waking her for her shift. She blinked blearily a few times before awareness returned, then shooed Naruto off to get more rest. 

 

Sakura's shift was just as uneventful as the previous two. Of course she stayed on guard just to be sure, but this area tended to be relatively free of bandits and the like. She busied herself by checking Sasuke’s ankle and healing the minor cuts and burns she had missed earlier.

 

She finished walking the perimeter of the campsite for a third time out of sheer boredom when she heard a low groan. Immediately she rushed to Sasuke’s side, careful not to wake her sleeping teammates. He groaned again then slowly opened his eyes, unfocused onyx meeting emerald.

 

“Sasuke-kun? Can you hear me?” She asked softly.

 

“Wha?” His voice was rough from disuse.

 

“Are you alright? Do you need some water?” She grabbed her canteen in a rush, twisting the cap off as she spoke.

 

Sasuke’s reply was unintelligible. His eyes were full of confusion and a little fear before they closed again. His breathing evened out and just like that, he was out cold.

 

Sakura lingered by his side waiting for consciousness to return for a half hour before giving up. 

 

Finally, it was time for Hinata's watch. Sakura ripped her eyes from her former teammate and moved to wake the sleeping Hyuuga.

 

The next morning, Sakura reported Sasuke’s brief awakening during her watch. 

 

“Kakashi-sensei, last night, towards the end of my shift, Sasuke woke up.” She said as she helped clean their campsite.

 

“Woke up? Was he hostile? Did he say anything to you?” 

 

“He woke up?! Why didn't you wake me?!” Naruto demanded, fisting his hands at his sides.

 

“Settle down, Naruto. Let her finish.” 

 

“There was no time to get you, Naruto-kun. When he woke up, it was only for a minute. He was extremely incoherent and confused. He passed right back out. I made sure to watch him just in case he woke up again, but he stayed out.”

 

“H-he was out for my watch too…” Hinata piped in.

 

Naruto forced himself to calm down. He slowly released his tightly fisted hands, wincing a bit since his nails cut into his palms. There was no reason for him to be angry at Sakura for something completely out of her control. She didn't know that Sasuke was going to wake up during her shift. 

 

“We still have a bit of road to cover before we get back to Konoha. If we don't run into any trouble, we should make it back this afternoon.” Kakashi shouldered his pack. “Are you going to carry Sasuke the rest of the way, Naruto?”

 

“I can do it.” Sakura offered. 

 

“It's okay, Sakura-chan! I’ll carry him!” Naruto insisted. He raced over to Sasuke, gently setting him over his shoulder. 

 

“Come on, guys! Let's go!” The energetic blond took off full speed, leaving his teammates in the dust.

  
  
  



	3. Chapter 3

The identical shocked expressions on Kotetsu and Izumo’s faces when Naruto casually strolled up to the village gate with Sasuke in tow would have been hilarious if a patrol of Anbu didn't have to be called. Rules were rules even if Naruto thought it was overkill. How the hell could Sasuke wreak havoc on the village bound and unconscious? 

 

Knowing that teme, he would probably find a way.

 

The entire group was silent as they were escorted to the hospital. They ignored the stares and whispers of passing villagers. The four Anbu guards surrounded them in a box pattern, two in front, and two behind. None of the masked shinobi spoke, but Naruto didn't expect them to. They had a job to do, and that job didn't include idle chatter.

 

Naruto burst through the hospital doors like the world was on fire. The sight of the unconscious Uchiha made everyone in the main area instantly freeze. A very dumbfounded nurse helped Sakura check him in while Naruto glared at the medic trying to take Sasuke away from him. 

 

“Maa, Naruto, you need to let the medics do their jobs. You can't hold onto him forever.” Kakashi's visible eye rolled. 

 

“I can carry him to the room! I don't have to be a medic for that, y'know!”

 

“Uzumaki-san, please be reasonable…” The poor medic pleaded as he nervously pushed the gurney forward a couple of inches, hoping that Naruto would finally comply.

 

“N-naruto-kun… You need to let them help. The l-longer you stand here and argue, the longer U-uchiha-san's treatment will be delayed.” The red flooding Hinata's face made her attempt to be stern with Naruto fall flat, but he sighed and caved in anyway. 

 

He reluctantly placed Sasuke on the gurney, then followed closely behind the medics and Anbu through the hallways. He wouldn't let Sasuke out of his sight that easily. His teammates followed a few feet behind, trying to stay out of the way of the hospital staff. The medics pushed the gurney through the double doors to the emergency unit except for one, who stayed behind to speak with them.

 

“Uzumaki-san, you cannot pass this point. I must ask you and your team to proceed to the waiting room. Haruno-san may come with us since she is a medic and we could use her help.” 

 

“WHAT THE HELL?!” Naruto bellowed, throwing his hands up in frustration.

 

“Naruto, enough! You're just going to get in the way!” Kakashi scolded. He set his hand on the angry blond's shoulder and squeezed. “Let's just go to the waiting room. Tsunade-sama and Sakura will make sure that Sasuke is taken care of.”

 

Naruto growled in sheer irritation. He knew Kakashi was right, but he had just gotten Sasuke back. Part of him was terrified that if he didn't stay by the Uchiha's side, he would disappear and Naruto would never find him again. 

 

He silently followed Kakashi and Hinata back to the waiting room, head slumped and feet dragging.

 

Naruto pointedly ignored both Kakashi and Hinata's attempts to talk to him for the next hour and a half. He kept his gaze trained on the floor, fisting and unfisting his hands in his pockets. He felt so useless just sitting there. The more time passed, the more he thought of the worst case scenario. What if his injuries were worse than they thought? What if he could never walk or fight again? What if Sasuke never woke up? 

 

“Naruto, Tsunade-sama said we could go back now. She's going to explain what's wrong with Sasuke.” Kakashi's voice broke him from his inner turmoil.

 

He nodded then followed his sensei back to Sasuke's room.

 

Naruto's heart dropped when he saw Sasuke cuffed down to the hospital bed. It took Naruto back to the last time he saw his best friend like this, forced into a coma by Itachi's genjutsu. Back then he also feared that Sasuke would stay like that forever...

 

He ripped his eyes away from Sasuke's face. Tsunade gave him a reassuring smile. Sakura had a similar expression, but her smile was a tiny bit strained compared to the Godaime's. 

 

“How is he, Baachan?” Naruto wondered. The nervousness he tried to hide crept into his voice.

 

“He's going to be fine, gaki. He's not under any genjutsu, no brain damage, no life threatening injuries. He could wake up in an hour, or tomorrow. His body needs time to heal.” Tsunade stated confidently.

 

“That's great news!” 

 

“Wait, Naruto. There's still the matter of what to do with him when he does wake up. He's an S-class criminal.”

 

“What do you mean 'do with him’?!” Naruto demanded.

 

“You know exactly what I mean! He's a dangerous criminal! If we just let him run free, who knows what will happen? He needs to be tried for his crimes.” Tsunade crossed her arms and fixed Naruto with a cold glare.

 

Naruto wanted to scream and argue more, but there was no point. At least Sasuke was going to be put on trial instead of just being executed. He had to be grateful for that. He was so wrapped up in the fact that Sasuke was home now that he didn't even think about the consequences of his best friend's actions.

 

He decided that no matter what happened after Sasuke finally woke up, he would be there for him every step of the way, no matter what the stubborn asshole thought about it.

 

“Can I stay here with him?” Naruto asked, sending his best pleading eyes at Tsunade.

 

“You would have even if I said no, brat. That's why I put him in a room with two beds.” Tsunade chuckled and shook her head fondly.

 

“Thanks, Baachan!” Naruto threw his arms around her, smiling so hard his face hurt.

 

She patted his back. “But first, go home and shower. You smell like you rolled around in shit.” 

 

Naruto barked a laugh at Tsunade's wrinkled nose and did as he was ordered. He self consciously sniffed under his arm as he leaped across the village rooftops to his apartment. Tsunade was right. He smelled terrible. A hot shower sounded like heaven after everything that he had been through the last couple of days.

 

After his shower, Naruto felt much better. He quickly packed his bag for a few day's stay at the hospital. He was a little nervous now thinking about how Sasuke would react to being back in Konoha. He definitely wouldn't be happy at first, but hopefully he would come around sooner rather than later…

 

Naruto idly wondered if Itachi was watching over them, and if he would be happy that Sasuke was back in the village. Ever since learning the truth of what happened to Sasuke's family, Naruto wanted to do right by the elder Uchiha. He did promise to look after Sasuke, after all.

 

Later that night, Naruto got up from the extra bed and perched in the chair next to Sasuke. He couldn't sleep. He was far too wired. Instead he studied the Uchiha's face, drinking in the beautiful features. He took Sasuke's hand in his, squeezing gently. He desperately wanted the sleeping boy next to him to squeeze his hand back. To prove that he knew that Naruto was there with him.

 

Of course Sasuke still wouldn't stir. Naruto wanted to go hunt down the bastards who did this and destroy them. He would just have to make Sasuke tell him what they looked like, then they could go find them together. Sasuke would have a better chance of winning with Naruto watching his back.

 

As the hours of the early morning passed, Naruto fell into a light sleep, hand still gripping Sasuke's.

 

When he woke, it was to the sight of alert onyx eyes. Sasuke didn't speak. He just stared with wide eyes and his eyebrows furrowed. He looked incredibly confused, but at least he wasn't angry. Yet.

 

“Sasuke!” Naruto cried with relief. Tears began to well up in his eyes. “You're finally awake!”

 

Sasuke tilted his head to the side. “Who are you?” His voice was laced with uncertainty.

 

_...What? _

 

“That’s not funny, teme. You know who I am.” Naruto wouldn't cry. He wouldn't. This was a dream. Or Sasuke was messing with him.

 

“...I'm sorry, but I don't remember.” Sasuke's eyes turned downcast.

 

“Do you remember Kakashi-sensei? What about Sakura-chan?” 

 

Sasuke shook his head. “No.”

 

“... What about your family? Do you remember your parents? What about…” Naruto took a deep breath before mentioning the next name. “What about your brother Itachi?”

 

“I'm sorry. None of those names are familiar.” He shifted nervously, and tried to look anywhere but at him. Naruto had never seen Sasuke like this before. The apology also threw him off guard. Sasuke never apologized for anything. Something was wrong. Terribly wrong.

 

“Do you remember anything at all?” 

 

Sasuke paused, staring out the window. After a moment, he turned his gaze back to meet Naruto's. “No. I don't.”

  
  
  
  
  
  
  



	4. Chapter 4

So Sasuke was his name…

 

He had woken with no knowledge of who he was, where he was, or how he had ended up cuffed to a hospital bed.

 

The only memory that he had was of the blond boy with whisker-like scars on his cheeks gripping his hand in sleep like it was a lifeline. Who was he? A member of his family? One of his friends? Sasuke tried to dig through his empty brain to find something, anything that would connect him to this boy.

 

He came up with nothing.

 

He couldn't stop the rising guilt he felt when he saw the sheer anguish in the other boy's blue eyes. Tears were falling freely now when Sasuke admitted that he didn't remember anything at all. The blond was sobbing brokenly, clutching at his chest with both hands where his heart was.

 

He wanted to offer comfort, but he had absolutely no idea how to ease that pain. 

 

Instead, Sasuke stayed silent and allowed his visitor to cry. He figured that anything he would have said in an attempt to soothe would have had the opposite effect. His lack of memories were the cause of the tears, and Sasuke couldn't fix it. He was surprised that the pain of a total stranger was affecting him this much.

 

After what felt like an eternity, the blond finally calmed down. His sobs quieted to soft whimpers, and he released the death grip on his black and orange jacket.

 

“I'm sorry.” The blond lifted his head. “It's just hard, y'know?”

 

“You don't need to apologize.” Sasuke hoped his tone was comforting.

 

An awkward silence passed between them for a few minutes. Neither knew what to say to the other. From the blond's reaction to Sasuke's lack of memories, the two of them must have been very important to each other.

 

Before Sasuke could ask his visitor for his name, two women entered his room. The first was a pretty teenage girl with pink hair, and the other was a large breasted blonde woman who appeared to be in her twenties. 

 

“Sasuke-kun! You're awake! How are you feeling?” The pink haired girl raced to his side, concern etched in her face.

 

“Ehh… Sakura-chan, he doesn't remember anything.” The blond boy answered for him.

 

The girl who was apparently named Sakura frowned deeply. “What? Sasuke-kun, is this true?”

 

“Yes. I don't remember anything. I have no idea who I am, or who any of you are.”

 

The blonde woman who entered with Sakura moved across the room to stand behind the boy.

 

“Naruto, go stand over there.” She pointed to the other side of the bed. “I need to check him over again.”

 

“Okay, Baachan.” _ 'Baachan?’ _ This woman barely looked old enough to be his mom, let alone his grandmother. The boy, Naruto, shuffled over to the other side of Sasuke's bed.

 

The blonde woman lifted a glowing hand to Sasuke's forehead. A feeling of warmth shot through his body as her hand made contact with his skin. Her brow furrowed, eyes sharpening with her focus. 

 

After a few seconds, the woman removed her hand. “You're perfectly healthy. There's no brain damage, no signs of genjutsu, maybe this is the result of a sealing jutsu? Sakura, go get Kakashi. Then the two of you can go to T&I and bring Yamanaka Inoichi with you back here. If he isn't available, bring Ino.”

 

“Yes, shishou!” Sakura rushed out of the room.

 

“Baachan, why can't Sasuke remember anything?” Naruto wondered. He gripped the bed railing hard enough to make his knuckles turn white. The blond looked like he was going to cry again.

 

“I don't know, Naruto. That's why I'm having Kakashi and Yamanaka come to take a look at him. Kakashi is the closest thing we have to a sealing master, and Yamanaka can do a mindwalk.”

 

Mindwalk? That didn't sound pleasant.

 

“All we can do now is wait for everyone to get back. It shouldn't take long, gaki.” She smiled gently at Naruto. He nodded, then moved back to sit in his original spot.

 

Sasuke settled into a more comfortable position to wait for more people he wouldn't recognize. He had only been awake for a few hours, but it had already been quite the eventful day.

 

“Naruto-san mentioned my parents earlier.” Sasuke said after a few minutes of silence. He almost missed Naruto's slight flinch at the honorific. “Has anyone told them that I'm in the hospital?” 

 

Naruto inhaled sharply beside him, and the blonde woman looked at Sasuke with a mix of disbelief and sympathy.

 

“Your parents…” The woman began. “Your parents have been dead for a long time, Sasuke. Since you were a child.”

 

His parents were dead? He was an orphan? “What about my brother? Naruto-san mentioned him too.”

 

“... Your entire family is dead. I'm sorry. You're the last living member of the Uchiha clan.”

 

… Not just his parents. His entire clan. He had no family. Sasuke was all alone in the world. He was sad to hear it, and frustrated with himself since he couldn't remember them. 

 

“... I see. Thank you, err-”

 

“My name is Senju Tsunade. I am the Hokage of this village.”

 

Sasuke had no idea what that title meant. “What is a 'Hokage’?”

 

“You forgot what a Hokage is, teme?” Naruto looked highly offended.

 

Tsunade ignored him. “The Hokage is the leader of the shinobi nation of Konoha. I am the fifth Hokage. My predecessor Sarutobi Hiruzen, the third Hokage was killed in battle three years ago. The fourth Hokage died shortly after you kids were born.”

 

“The leader of a shinobi nation? You must be very powerful, Tsunade-sama.” 

 

“Baachan is crazy strong, y'know! I've seen her send people flying with just her pinkie finger, and she can punch so hard the ground breaks!” Naruto sounded awed and terrified in equal measure. “Sakura-chan is her student. She's just as strong as Baachan. They're both amazing medics too.”

 

Sasuke made a mental note to never cross Tsunade or Sakura if he valued his life.

 

Sasuke wanted to ask Tsunade why he was chained down to the bed, but he was a little afraid of the answer. The cuffs had strange runes carved into the metal. Had he done something terrible before losing his memory? 

 

He almost didn't want to know, but he needed to know who he was. No matter who that may be.

 

“Tsunade-sama?” He finally found his voice after handing back the glass of water Naruto had offered him.

 

“Hmm?” 

 

“Who am I really? I figure these chains aren't just for decoration.” He jingled them a little for emphasis.

 

Tsunade let out a long suffering sigh. “You are a missing nin of S-rank criminal status, and formerly a shinobi of this village. You are extremely dangerous. The cuffs were a necessary precaution. You probably feel tired right now. That's because those cuffs are completely suppressing your chakra.”

 

Now that she mentioned it, Sasuke did feel a little drained. “S-rank?”

 

“S-rank is the very highest. The ranking of risk goes from D, which is the lowest, to A, which is the highest. S is a special category.”

 

… S-rank criminal.

 

… Extremely dangerous.

 

“Why did I defect?” Sasuke inquired, not entirely sure he wanted the answer.

 

“That's a story for another time. The others should be returning soon.” 

 

As if on cue, Sakura entered the room with two men behind her. The first man wore a cloth mask that covered the lower half of his face, and had gravity defying silver hair. One of his eyes was covered by the headband that most of the others in the room wore. The other man had very long blond hair tied back into a ponytail, and a very serious expression on his face. Both were wearing the same uniform.

 

“Kakashi, Yamanaka-san, thank you for coming on such short notice.” She gestured to the two men. “Sasuke, this is Hatake Kakashi, your former jonin sensei, and Yamanaka Inoichi, the director of the Torture and Interrogation unit.”

 

The masked man, Kakashi, gave him a half-hearted wave. “Good to see you again, Sasuke.” His tone implied otherwise, but under the circumstances, Sasuke didn't blame him. Sakura must have filled them in on his condition, because Kakashi didn't seem surprised that Tsunade had to introduce them. 

 

He was a bit nervous that the Torture and Interrogation director was in his hospital room. Then again, it was to be expected since he was a criminal. 

 

Inoichi stepped forward. “I am going to enter your mind, Uchiha-kun. Don't worry, it won't hurt you.” He added the last bit after Sasuke widened his eyes.

 

“Try not to fight it.”

 

Naruto moved to stand behind Inoichi as he lifted his arms out in front of him, thumbs and index fingers connected.

“Shintenshin no Jutsu.”

 

Inoichi slumped into Naruto's waiting arms as Sasuke's vision went black.

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  



	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Inoichi's mind walk brings more questions than answers, and arrangements for Sasuke's future in Konoha are made.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Have a small update. Sorry it's not much. I'm not 100% happy with how this turned out, but I wanted to go ahead and post it. I'm not sure exactly when I will be able to update again since I have other projects that are taking priority.

Inoichi returned to consciousness in complete darkness.

 

He wasn't sure what he expected in Uchiha Sasuke's mindscape, but this vast void of… nothingness definitely wasn't it. This was wrong. In all his years of mind walking, he hadn't ever seen anything like it. Even with other amnesia patients he had encountered before, there were at least fragments, an established background to trigger a memory,  _ something.  _ The last Uchiha was definitely full of surprises. 

 

Feeling uneasy, Inoichi took off aimlessly. The dark was oppressive, and seemed to close in. There was no light to guide him here. He just had to wander and hope for the best. 

 

After what felt like hours, Inoichi had yet to find anything that could give him any insight as to what caused Sasuke's amnesia. He wondered if this darkness itself was the culprit. Perhaps this was a forbidden jutsu of some kind? Some sort of kekkei genkai? The possibility wasn't going to be ruled out yet. He trudged onward. He wasn't going to give up on finding anything just yet. 

 

Just as he was about to give up and return empty handed to Tsunade, a flash of color entered Inoichi's range of vision. He made haste, sprinting towards the oppressive red. He came to a stop in front of some sort of door, the garish crimson almost blinding in the darkness of Sasuke's mind. The door was covered in thick black chains, the red runes inscribed on them glowing menacingly. The air around him was frigid, and the malicious aura emanating from the door almost frightened him. Biting back his unease, Inoichi inspected the runes. They repeated a single phrase.

 

_ To unlock the door to your past, you must first find the key. _

 

_ Wow. How original _ . Inoichi resisted the urge to roll his eyes at the cliche. 

 

Inoichi had no idea what this 'key' the runes were indicating was, but he assumed that it wasn't a physical one. Perhaps the 'key' was the person or people who did this to Sasuke in the first place. Since the Uchiha lost his memories, he would be no help in finding them. Wonderful. 

 

He may not have been a fan of Uchiha Sasuke since his defection from the village, but the boy didn't deserve this. It was unnecessarily cruel. Ripping away his very identity was one of the worst type of violations. However, this was also an opportunity for Sasuke to free himself of his bloody past. Maybe this wasn't as bad of a thing as it seemed…

 

It was time to return and report to Tsunade. He gathered all the information he could here.

 

Sasuke groaned as he returned to awareness. His pulse was throbbing in his temples. He hoped it would subside soon. Perhaps he should ask Sakura or Tsunade to ease the pain a bit for him. The last thing he needed after this stressful day was a headache.

 

"Don't sit up too quickly, Uchiha-kun." Came the voice of Yamanaka Inoichi. 

 

Sasuke eased himself up slowly with Naruto's assistance. He accepted the help gratefully.  He had felt a wave of dizziness hit him as he became upright, and let his eyes slip closed to allow it to pass. After taking a few moments to collect himself, he opened his eyes to meet the gaze of the man who entered his mind. The pale blue eyes of the Yamanaka were filled with pity and confusion, and Sasuke couldn't stand it. He averted his gaze, settling on the cuff on his left wrist.

 

Tsunade spoke up a moment later. "Did you find anything, Yamanaka-san?"

 

"From what I saw in Uchiha-kun's mindscape, I think this may be some sort of kekkei genkai. I had never seen anything like it before in my entire shinobi career. There was nothing in his mind but darkness and a single door blocked by chains. I assume all of his memories are behind it, but I had no way to access it. The door requires a 'key' to unlock it."

 

Tsunade raised an eyebrow. "A key, you say? What key?"

 

"Your guess is as good as mine, Hokage-sama. Perhaps the key is the caster of the jutsu. They may be the only person who can reverse it."

 

"Sasuke, I assume you don't remember the person who did this to you?" 

 

Sasuke shook his head. "No, Hokage-sama."

 

"I figured as much. So we're completely blind here. No matter. Unless we find the person or people responsible, there's nothing we can do to restore your memories."

 

Sasuke knew on some deep subconscious level that it would not be that easy. He had a feeling that his life before was never simple, so why would this be? He was disappointed, frustrated even, but not surprised.

 

The room fell into an uneasy silence. Sasuke had many questions burning on the tip of his tongue, but he was hesitant to voice them. He wondered to himself what was going to happen to him now? Was he going to be imprisoned for crimes he didn't remember committing? Where was he going to go when he was released from the hospital if he wasn't locked away? He had apparently abandoned his home here, so it wasn't like he could just return there. Could he? Would he even want to, knowing that the only things that remained there were keepsakes of long dead family that he couldn't even remember? It almost felt like an insult to his parent's memory if he did.

 

Sasuke was brought out of his thoughts when a warm hand squeezed his shoulder. He looked up at the blond boy, Naruto, who was staring at him like some sort of complicated puzzle. The mix of emotions in Naruto's cerulean eyes were too much for Sasuke to process. 

 

"Did you hear any of that, teme?" Naruto used the insult fondly. 

 

"I'm sorry. Hear what?" 

 

"We were discussing what to do after you're released from the hospital. Unfortunately, the council is going to want to put you on trial for your transgressions against the village. Until then, I will be placing you under supervised house arrest. You will be staying at Naruto's apartment until your trial, and whenever you leave, you must notify Naruto in advance. A squad of ANBU will trail you if Naruto is unable to accompany you." Tsunade summarized. "Will you comply to these terms?"

 

"Of course, Tsunade-sama." 

 

"Good. You'll spend one more night here and then Naruto will take you home around tomorrow afternoon. We'll leave you to rest."

 

With that, Tsunade and everyone else but Sakura and Naruto filed out of the room. Sakura hesitated at his bedside, tears threatening to spill from her emerald eyes. Naruto looked similarly wrecked. Another inexplicable wave of guilt crashed through Sasuke. Did he even deserve these people after all the things he had supposedly done?

 

"Naruto, Sakura, could I ask a favor?" Sasuke asked hesitantly. He wasn't sure of the depth of their relationship after his defection. 

 

"Anything." Naruto promised. His tone was far more intense than Sasuke anticipated.

 

"Of course." Sakura's voice broke as the tears began to fall.

 

"... Could you tell me about what I was like before this happened? Everything. Please don't hold back. Maybe it will jog my memory." He tried his best to conceal his desperation. He had to know who he was.

 

Sakura and Naruto nodded in unison. They seated themselves on his bed, with Sakura at his feet and Naruto between them. The blond seemed to  _ need  _ to be near Sasuke at all times. It made Sasuke wonder just how deep their relationship went before. 

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


**Author's Note:**

> Any feedback is very appreciated!


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